Sense amplifier layout for FinFET technology

ABSTRACT

A sense amplifier (SA) comprises a semiconductor substrate having an oxide definition (OD) region, a pair of SA sensing devices, a SA enabling device, and a sense amplifier enabling signal (SAE) line for carrying an SAE signal. The pair of SA sensing devices have the same poly gate length Lg as the SA enabling device, and they all share the same OD region. When enabled, the SAE signal turns on the SA enabling device to discharge one of the pair of SA sensing devices for data read from the sense amplifier.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/939,201, filed Jul. 11, 2013, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

In the rapidly advancing semiconductor manufacturing industry,complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) FinFET devices arefavored for many logic and other applications and are integrated intovarious different types of semiconductor devices. FinFET devicestypically include semiconductor fins with high aspect ratios formedvertically with respect to a top surface of the substrate, and in whichchannel and source/drain regions of semiconductor transistor devices areformed. The fins are isolated, raised structures. A gate is formed overand along the sides of the fins, utilizing the advantage of theincreased surface area of the channel and source/drain regions toproduce faster, more reliable and better-controlled semiconductortransistor devices. One important advantage of FinFET technology is thatthe mismatch between the devices is significantly lower than that underconventional manufacturing processes.

A semiconductor memory chip such as static random-access memory (SRAM)includes a sense amplifier, wherein the sense amplifier is part of theread circuitry used to read data from the memory chip. The senseamplifier discriminates small differential signal to large signal(rail-to-rail signal) in order to sense the logic levels from a bitlinepair (bitline and bitline bar), which represents a data bit (1 or 0)stored in a memory cell. The sense amplifier amplifies the small voltageswing to recognizable logic levels so that data can be interpretedproperly at the output terminal of the memory cell.

The device mismatch of the sense amplifier affects how large thedifferential signal voltage can be sensed by the sense amplifier sensing(also referred to as sensing read margin, sensing margin also defined asminimum required differential voltage for a given sense amplifier).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an example of an embodiment of a senseamplifier having the same Lg for all of its devices, which share acommon OD region.

FIGS. 2A-B show examples of the plan views of the layout under separatedOD regions and shared OD region for the NMOS devices in the senseamplifier of FIG. 1, respectively.

FIGS. 3A-C show the schematic view, the expanded plan view, and thecross section views of the layout of the NMOS devices in the senseamplifier, respectively.

FIGS. 4A-B show threshold voltage Vt distribution across layout of thesense amplifier and the corresponding layout positions for the sensingdevices, respectively.

FIGS. 5A-B show examples of the schematic view and the plan view of thelayout of the sensing devices of the sense amplifier, respectively.

FIGS. 6A-B show examples of the schematic view and the plan view of thelayout of the SA enabling device of the sense amplifier.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the plan view of the shielding of the SAenabling signal line of the sense amplifier.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the plan view of the shielding of the signallines of the sense amplifier.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a method for forming a sense amplifier usingFinFET technology wherein a plurality of NMOS devices in the senseamplifier share the same ploy gate length.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be consideredpart of the entire written description. In the description, relativeterms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”, “above,”“below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof(e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should beconstrued to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown inthe drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenienceof description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed oroperated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments,coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” referto a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to oneanother either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, aswell as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unlessexpressly described otherwise.

A sense amplifier design can have a long channel length for sensingdevices in order to improve the device mismatch and offset voltage ofthe sense-amplifier, which leads to long and different poly gate lengths(Lg) for various devices in the sense amplifier. Such devices withdifferent poly gate lengths are placed in different oxide definitionlayers/regions (OD). The separate OD regions are used to provideisolation among different kinds of devices in the sense amplifier.

The inventors have discovered that a uniform poly gate length Lg (e.g.,16, 18 or 20 nm) for all NMOS devices can be adopted for a laying outand fabricating a sense amplifier manufactured using a FinFET process.Due to the low device mismatch under the FinFET process (as will bediscussed in detail below), long channel length is not required toreduce mismatch between the devices, making it possible for alldevices/transistors used in the sense amplifier to have the same nominal(short) gate length. Under such uniform nominal gate length, all devicesused in the sense amplifier can share one common oxide definition (OD)layer/region instead of separate OD regions for different kinds ofdevices in the layout of the sense amplifier. An OD region defines anactive area of the substrate such as, for example, a source/draindiffusion region. An integrated circuit (IC) typically includes aplurality of such OD regions, each located between a pair of isolationregions such as shallow trench isolation regions. In embodimentsdescribed herein, plural sensing devices (transistors) of a sensingamplifier are formed within a single OD region.

As a result of using a shared OD region layout, the layout area of thesense amplifier can be significantly reduced compared to the layout of asense amplifier where different OD regions are used for differentdevices/transistors.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an example of an embodiment of a senseamplifier 100 having an uniform Lg for all of its devices, which share acommon OD region, wherein the schematic view is also shown in FIGS. 3A,5A, and 6A.

As shown in the example of FIG. 1, the basic structure of senseamplifier (SA) 100 includes at least PMOS devices P0 (102), P1 (104), SAsensing devices N0 (106), and N1(108) and an SA enabling NMOS device N2(110). The differential signals DL and DLB are propagated through P2(112) and P3 (114), respectively, into the internal nodes S and SB ofthe sense amplifier, respectively. Once the sense amplifier enablingsignal (SAE) carried by SAE line 118 is ON (goes from low to high), SAenabling device N2 (110) is enabled, which leads either SA sensingdevice N0 (106) or N1 (108) to discharge internal node S or SB,respectively, depending upon which internal node has a lower voltagelevel. For a non-limiting example, if voltage of node S is at 0.7V,which is lower than the voltage of node SB at 0.8V, then node S will bedischarged by N0 (106) and N2 (110) to ground, resulting in a read ofbit data “0” at S node (become a full swing signal) and propagate to QB.The opposite node SB still keep at high voltage level, so the Q signalwill remain at “0” state.

In some embodiments, there can be a device mismatch between the two SAsensing devices. The differential voltage for sense amplifier 100 tooperate properly is significantly impacted by the mismatch of voltagesat sensing devices N0 (106) and N1 (108). If there is a device mismatchbetween the two SA sensing devices, for a non-limiting example, thevoltage of N1 (108) is less than the voltage of N0 (106) by 200 mV,meaning that the strength of N1 (108) is stronger than N0 (106), N1(108) will pull down node SB faster than node S. That is, node SB willbe discharged instead of node S, causing an incorrect read data value of“1” at S node (S node kept at high, while SB node discharged to ground).

Due to significantly reduced mismatch between the devices when FinFETtechnology is used, long channel lengths are not required for thereduction of mismatch among the devices in sense amplifier 100manufactured using FinFET technology. As a result, all NMOS devices N0(106), N1 (108), and N2 (110) can have the same uniform (short) polygate length Lg. As shown in the example of FIG. 1, the Lg of devices N0(106) and N1 (108) can be aligned to N2 (110) so that they all have thesame nominal Lg, which for non-limiting examples, can be 16, 18, or 20nm. Since the same Lg is adopted for all of N0 (106), N1 (108), and N2(110), they can all share the same common OD region under the designrule (whereas other sense amplifiers having different gate lengths haveto use multiple OD regions, according to the design rule). FIG. 2B showsan example of a plan view of the layout of the shared OD region 116 forthe NMOS devices N0 (106), N1 (108), and N2 (110) in FIG. 1. Compared toa layout of FIG. 2A in which N0 (106) and N1 (108) have a much larger Lg(e.g., Lg at 36 nm) than N2 (110) (e.g., Lg=20 nm) and thus haveseparate OD regions for the devices, the size of sense amplifier 100 inFIG. 2B (having the shared OD region 116) can be much smaller. For anon-limiting example, in some embodiments according to FIG. 2B, all ofthe gate lengths are 20 nm. In some embodiments according to FIG. 2B,all of the gate lengths are 18 nm. In other embodiments according toFIG. 2B, all of the gate lengths are 16 nm.

FIG. 3B shows an expanded plan view of the layout of the NMOS devices N0(106), N1 (108), and N2 (110) in the sense amplifier. FIG. 3C showscross section views of the of the NMOS devices taken across sectionlines A-A and B-B, respectively. As referred to hereinafter, OD refersto the shared OD region 116 marked by the box), POLY refers to thepolycrystalline silicon definition layer 118 (at the level of the gateelectrode layer), V0 refer to via 0 layer 120, MD refers to contact 122between OD layer 116 and V0 120, MP refers to contact 124 between POLY118 and V0 120, and POLY-Cut refers to cut poly layer 126 (which can bea photoresist layer which acts as a mask for forming poly lines).

As shown by the expanded (“unfolded”) view in FIG. 3B (as well as FIGS.5-8), each of the NMOS devices N0 (106), N1 (108), and N2 (110) is laidout in parallel in multiple components, wherein the components of eachof the devices are connected together to form the sense amplifierthrough metal contacts and vias between different metal layers of theinterconnect structure of the IC (not shown).

As shown in the example of FIG. 3B, the shared node A between N0 (106)and N2 (110) and between N1 (108) and N2 (110) can be connected to eachother through the shared OD region instead of using metal lineconnection as in a sense amplifier layout in which separate ODlayers/regions are adopted for the NMOS devices.

For semiconductor devices manufactured using FinFET technology, thethreshold voltage (Vt) of a device/transistor varies across the layout,depending upon the placement of the device on the OD layer. FIG. 4Ashows an example of threshold voltage Vt distribution across layout ofsense amplifier 100 of FIG. 1. As shown by FIG. 4B, inner transistorsplaced near the center of the layout (e.g., at locations 2, 3, 4, and 5)can have smaller Vt variations than those edge transistors (placed nearthe edge of the layout e.g., at locations 1 and 6). The edge transistors(at locations 1 and 6), on the other hand, have lower Vt than thosecenter transistors (at locations 2,3,4,5), wherein lower Vt results inhigher speed of the device.

In some embodiments, in order to take advantage of Vt distributionproperties of the devices depicted in FIG. 4B, the sensing devices N0(106) and N1 (108) can be placed on or near the center area of the ODregion (at locations 2, 3, 4, and 5 in FIG. 4B) as shown by the exampleof the plan view of the layout of the sensing devices of sense amplifier100 in FIG. 5B.

Placing the sensing devices N0 (106) and N1 (108) close to the center ofthe layout and far away from the edge of the OD region helps to furtherreduce the mismatch between the NMOS devices since Vt variations nearthe center of the OD region are much smaller than those near the edge ofthe OD region. Additionally, placing N0 (106) and N1 (108) close to thecenter enables other devices (e.g., N2 (110)) placed near the edge ofthe OD region to provide buffer protection for the source/drainterminals of N0 (106) and N1 (108).

In some embodiments, different components of the sensing devices N0(106) and N1 (108) can be “cross-placed” (i.e., arranged horizontally)from each other in the layout of the devices. As shown by the example inFIG. 5B, components of N0 (106) can be placed in horizontal alignmentwith components of N1 (108). Thus, the components of sensing device N0(106) are arranged diagonally from each other, and the components ofsensing device N1 (108) are arranged diagonally from each other. Suchcross-placement of components from different devices helps to furtherreduce the mismatch between the sensing devices N0 (106) and N1 (108)since any mismatch between components of N0 (106) and N1 (108) on oneside of the layout can be compensated by a comparable mismatch betweencomponents of N0 (106) and N1 (108) on the other side of the layout.

In some embodiments, SA enabling device N2 (110) is placed close to theedge of the OD region (at locations 1 and 6 in FIG. 4B) to enclose andprotect sensing devices N0 (106) and N1 (108) in the layout of the senseamplifier as shown by the example of the layout of the SA enablingdevice of sense amplifier in FIG. 6B. Since the devices placed near theedge of the OD region have lower threshold voltage Vt than those devicesplaced near the center of the layout when FinFET technology is used, N2(110) so placed discharges faster than under conventional layout,leading to higher speed of operation for sense amplifier 100. In someembodiments, a Poly on OD edge (PODE) connection 128 can to be addedclose to the edge of the OD region to protect the source terminal of N2(110) as shown in FIG. 6B.

In some embodiments, since SA enabling NMOS N2 (110) are placed near theedges of the OD region enclosing sensing devices N0 (106) and N1 (108)as shown in FIG. 6, the SA enabling signal line SAE 130 can connect togate terminal of N2 (110) by MP contacts 124 located at the center ofthe poly connection to N2 (110). Such layout placement of SA enablingsignal SAE passing through the center of the sense amplifier 100 helpsto make the SA enabling signal control more balanced for the device N2(110) without timing skew.

In some embodiments, SA enabling signal line SAE 130 can be shielded bypower lines 132 (such as GND, VSS, or VDD) as shown by the example ofthe layout of the SA enabling signal line of sense amplifier 100 in FIG.7. Shielding of the enabling signal line SAE 130 helps to prevent anycoupling issue to the internal nodes “S” and “SB” of sense amplifier100. In some embodiments, all signal lines of sense amplifier 100—notjust SA enabling signal line SAE 130—can be shielded and isolated bypower/GND lines in order to avoid any mutual coupling issues as shown bythe example of the layout of the sense transistor depicted in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart 900 of a method for forming a sense amplifierusing FinFET technology wherein all NMOS devices in the sense amplifiershare the same poly gate length Lg.

At step 902, sensing devices N0 and N1 of a sense amplifier (SA) areformed near the center of a shared oxide definition (OD) region usingFinFET technology, wherein the two NMOS devices have the same poly gatelength Lg.

At step 904, an SA enabling device N2 of the sense amplifier is formednear the edge of the same OD region to enclose the sensing devices N0and N1, wherein device N2 shares the same poly gate length as thesensing devices N0 and N1.

At step 906, one Poly line is added on the edge of the OD region toprotect the source terminal of the SA enabling device N2.

At step 908, contact nodes A shared between devices N0 and N2 andbetween devices N1 and N2 are connected through the shared OD regionamong devices N0, N1, and N2.

At step 910, an SA enabling signal line SAE is formed through the centerof the sense amplifier in order to make the SA enabling signal morebalanced for the SA enabling device N2 without timing skew.

In some embodiments, a sense amplifier (SA) comprises a semiconductorsubstrate having an oxide definition (OD) region, a pair of SA sensingdevices, an SA enabling device, and a sense amplifier enabling signal(SAE) line. The pair of SA sensing devices and the SA enabling deviceare transistors and share the same OD region. The SAE line carries anSAE signal, which when enabled, turns on the SA enabling device todischarge one of the pair of SA sensing devices for data read from thesense amplifier.

In some embodiments, the Lg of the pair of SA sensing devices is thesame as the Lg of the SA enabling device.

In some embodiments, the pair of SA sensing devices and the SA enablingdevice are connected to a shared node through the shared OD region.

In some embodiments, the pair of SA sensing devices are placed near acenter of the OD region.

In some embodiments, the SA enabling device is placed close to an edgeof the OD region.

In some embodiments, the SA enabling device is arranged to providebuffer protection for source/drain terminals of the pair of SA sensingdevices.

In some embodiments, a protective structure is placed close to the edgeof the OD region adjacent to a source terminal of the SA enablingdevice.

In some embodiments, the SAE line is connected to a gate terminal of theSA enabling device through the center of the sense amplifier.

In some embodiments, the SAE line is shielded by one or more powerlines.

In some embodiments, all signal lines in the sense amplifier areshielded by one or more power lines.

In some embodiments, a sense amplifier (SA) comprises a semiconductorsubstrate having an oxide definition (OD) region, a pair of SA sensingdevices, and an SA enabling device. The pair of SA sensing devices andthe SA enabling device are transistors, share the same OD layer, andhave the same gate length Lg. Each of the pair of SA sensing devices andthe SA enabling device are laid out in parallel in multiple componentsand the components of the pair of SA sensing devices are arrangeddiagonally with each other on the OD region.

In some embodiments, a method comprises forming an oxide definition (OD)region for a sense amplifier (SA) on a semiconductor substrate andforming a pair of SA sensing devices and an SA enabling device all onthe same OD region having the same gate length Lg. The method furthercomprises forming a sense amplifier enabling signal (SAE) line forcarrying an SAE signal to turn on the SA enabling device to dischargeone of the pair of SA sensing devices for a data read from the senseamplifier.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising connecting the pairof SA sensing devices and the SA enabling device to a shared nodethrough the shared OD region.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising placing the pair ofSA sensing devices near the center of the OD region.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising placing the SAenabling device close to the edge of the OD region.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising arranging the SAenabling device so as to provide buffer protection for source/drainterminals of the pair of SA sensing devices.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising forming a protectivestructure close to the edge of the OD region proximate to a sourceterminal of the SA enabling device.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising connecting the SAEline to a gate terminal of the SA enabling device through a center ofthe sense amplifier.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising shielding the SAEline by one or more power lines to prevent coupling between the SAE lineand an internal node of the sense amplifier.

In some embodiments, the method further comprising shielding a pluralityof signal lines in the sense amplifier by one or more power lines toprevent coupling between the signal lines and one or more internal nodesof the sense amplifier.

Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplaryembodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claimsshould be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodimentsof the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.

We claim:
 1. A sense amplifier (SA), comprising: a semiconductorsubstrate having an source/drain (S/D) diffusion region; a pair of SAsensing devices both disposed in the S/D diffusion region, wherein thepair of SA sensing devices are transistors and have a same gate length;an SA enabling device that is a transistor, different from the pair ofSA sensing devices, disposed in the same S/D diffusion region as wherethe pair of SA sensing devices are disposed in, wherein the SA enablingdevice has the same gate length as the pair of the SA sensing devices,and wherein the pair of SA sensing devices comprises a pair of firsttransistors, respectively, each first transistor having a firstthreshold voltage and the SA enabling device comprises a secondtransistor having a second threshold voltage, and wherein the firstthreshold voltage is greater than the second threshold voltage; and asense amplifier enabling signal (SAE) line for carrying an SAE signal,for turning on the SA enabling device to discharge one of the pair of SAsensing devices during a data read from the sense amplifier.
 2. The SAof claim 1, wherein: the pair of SA sensing devices are placed centrallyin a layout of the S/D diffusion region.
 3. The SA of claim 2, wherein:the SA enabling device is placed outside of the pair of SA sensingdevices toward an edge of the S/D diffusion region layout.
 4. The SA ofclaim 1, wherein: the pair of SA sensing devices and the SA enablingdevice are connected to a shared node through the shared S/D diffusionregion.
 5. The SA of claim 1, wherein: the SA enabling device isarranged to provide buffer protection for source/drain terminals of thepair of SA sensing devices.
 6. The SA of claim 1, further comprising: aprotective structure placed close to an edge of the S/D diffusion regionlayout adjacent to a source terminal of the SA enabling device.
 7. TheSA of claim 1, wherein: the SAE line is connected to a gate terminal ofthe SA enabling device through a center of the sense amplifier.
 8. TheSA of claim 1, wherein: the SAE line is shielded by one or more powerlines.
 9. The SA of claim 1, wherein: all signal lines in the senseamplifier are shielded by one or more power lines.
 10. A sense amplifier(SA), comprising: a semiconductor substrate having an oxide definition(OD) region; a pair of SA sensing devices sharing the OD region, whereinthe pair of SA sensing devices comprise transistors and have the samegate length; and an SA enabling device sharing the same OD region as thepair of SA sensing devices; wherein the SA enabling device has the samegate length as the pair of SA sensing devices; wherein the pair of SAsensing devices are placed centrally in a layout of the OD region andthe SA enabling device is placed outside of the pair of SA sensingdevices toward an edge of the OD region layout.
 11. The SA of claim 10,wherein: the SAE line is shielded by one or more power lines.
 12. The SAof claim 10, wherein: the pair of SA sensing devices and the SA enablingdevice are connected to a shared node through the shared OD region. 13.The SA of claim 10, wherein: the SA enabling device is arranged toprovide buffer protection for source/drain terminals of the pair of SAsensing devices.
 14. A method, comprising: forming an oxide definition(OD) region for a sense amplifier (SA) on a semiconductor substrate;forming a pair of SA sensing devices on the OD region; forming an SAenabling device sharing the same OD region as the pair of SA sensingdevices; and forming a sense amplifier enabling signal (SAE) line forcarrying an SAE signal to turn on the SA enabling device to dischargeone of the pair of SA sensing devices for a data read from the senseamplifier, wherein the pair of SA sensing devices are placed centrallyin a layout of the OD region and the SA enabling device is placedoutside of the pair of SA sensing devices toward an edge of the layoutof the OD region, and wherein the pair of SA sensing devices comprises apair of first transistors, respectively, each first transistor having afirst threshold voltage and the SA enabling device comprises a secondtransistor having a second threshold voltage, and wherein the firstthreshold voltage is greater than the second threshold voltage.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising: connecting the pair of SAsensing devices and the SA enabling device to a shared node through theshared OD region.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:arranging the SA enabling device so as to provide buffer protection forsource/drain terminals of the pair of SA sensing devices.
 17. The methodof claim 15, further comprising: forming a protective structure close tothe edge of the OD region proximate to a source terminal of the SAenabling device.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:connecting the SAE line to a gate terminal of the SA enabling devicethrough a center of the sense amplifier.
 19. The method of claim 12,further comprising: shielding the SAE line by one or more power lines toprevent coupling between the SAE line and an internal node of the senseamplifier.
 20. The method of claim 12, further comprising: shielding aplurality of signal lines in the sense amplifier by one or more powerlines to prevent coupling between the signal lines and one or moreinternal nodes of the sense amplifier.